, a city budget, a state budget that didn't account for the interest you have to pay every year? how ridiculous is that? that's the kind of phony, gimmicky accounting that makes -- puts this country on a path to financial crisis. that's what he said, but even then by that definition, it was not true, and this would not be true, and it's false. well, well, phony accounting procedures, these budget manipulations and gimmicks like this primary balance idea is the way politicians have maneuvered us into a situation that our path is so dangerous. the american people are not happy about it. they should not be happy. there is no reason we have placed this country at such risk because of debt and spending, no reason that we should do that. they sent us here to this congress for a lot of reasons, but the primary reason really is to probably manage their money, manage their program. and so, madam president, i see my colleague from vermont and i think we may get there a different way, but i think we may share some of the same views about this nomination, and i respect his independence and gumpt
